Residents Advised to Avoid 1.7 km Radius Around Tangerang Landfill Fire

The Ministry of Environment/Bureau of Environmental Control (KLH/BPLH) has urged residents of Tangerang Regency, Banten, to avoid activities within a 1.7-kilometre radius of the Jatiwaringin landfill fire in Mauk. The warning aims to prevent health impacts from polluted air, particularly acute respiratory infections. “The 1.7-kilometre radius must be strictly avoided. However, the situation on the ground also depends heavily on wind direction,” said Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Faisal Malik Hendropriyono in Tangerang on Saturday. He stated that residents should avoid the landfill area as much as possible to ensure their safety. If accidentally exposed to the smoke, they must wear protective equipment such as masks. The local government has taken swift action through intensive cross-sector coordination to anticipate wind movements that could carry hazardous air towards densely populated settlements, particularly in the western areas covering Rajeg and Mauk sub-districts. “The Regent has confirmed that residents there will be evacuated, similar to the successful evacuation process carried out in the eastern region yesterday,” he said. “If possible, do not be in that area. But if you are forced to stay or are preparing, do not forget to wear a mask and other protective equipment,” he added. Earlier, air quality tests by the ministry revealed that the concentration of fine particulates at the site reached around 1,000 micrograms per cubic metre, far exceeding the national daily standard of 55 micrograms per cubic metre. Daytime data from the ministry’s air quality monitoring station showed that exposure to PM2.5 particulate matter at the Jatiwaringin landfill exceeded the threshold, with values recorded at 1,000 compared to the standard of 55. Meanwhile, PM10 levels reached 750, against an ideal standard of 75. “The particulates include SOx and NOx because the burning material includes plastic, which certainly impacts health,” he said. He noted that the air pollution from the landfill fire is more severe than that from forest and land fires, as the burning waste contains biomass and methane gas.